The One That Stayed
by Celtic druidess
Summary: At the battle before the Black Gate, the golden prince of Mirkwood falls in the aide of a friend. Slightly AU. nonslash


**A/N: Okay, this is just a one-shot I decided to make because I was depressed. At the battle before the Black Gate, the golden prince of Mirkwood falls while giving aid to his friend. Non-slash. Slight mentioning of gore. Please read and review.**

"Aragorn!"

Legolas moves to free his friend from under the troll's foot. A well maneuvered slice with his long knife frees Aragorn, but the elf prince is taken unawares by an orc from behind, and is run through with a long spear.

"No!" The ranger cries, and slays the orc. It is at this time that Mount Doom explodes and the tower of Sauron collapses. The Ring has been destroyed. For this, Aragorn should be rejoicing, but instead he holds the body of his dying friend in his arms. The elf's lifeblood pours from the wound and drenches the King's hands. Not even one of the Eldar could survive such an injury.

Legolas feels cold. He'd never felt cold before. He can taste the metallic flavor of his own blood in his mouth. He was dying. Before the Council of Elrond, he never thought that he would ever have to experience the Doom of the Edain. He was the Prince of Mirkwood, the son of Thranduil and Idril, he was destined to cross the Sea into Valinor. It was there that nearly all his kin now dwelled. Now, he would not see them again until the breaking of the world. Now, he would be destined to wait in the Halls of Mandos.

There is a sound of rumbling like thunder and the army of the West is cheering. Legolas looks up to the face of his longtime friend. "What has happened."

Aragorn struggles to hold back his tears. "The Tower has fallen, mellon-nin. Frodo has done it. He's destroyed the Ring."

The elf smiles weakly. He is pleased that, at least, his death will not have been in vain. Ever choice he has made was made with the hope that he could help save this world from destruction. He went against his family's wishes when he joined the Fellowship. His father had been irate when Legolas had sent his brothers back to Mirkwood to give word to their parents about his decision. He'd no doubt of it. After all, this was not the Elves' war. Everyone told him that, but he could not find it in his heart to abandon Aragorn and all Mankind. He also had no doubt that his mother wept when told that her youngest son would not be traveling into the West with the rest of them. And Nerdanel…the woman he loved. The woman who was waiting for him to come to her in the undying lands… never again would he look into her beautiful green eyes… he could only pray she would understand why he could never return to her.

A gruff voice breaks the dying prince from his reverie. "Ah, no! No, lad!"

Gimli the dwarf comes and kneels beside his one-time enemy and new-found friend. "You can't die now, you damned elf." He puts a hand gently on Legolas's golden head. "You can't leave us now, laddie. Not when we now have victory."

"Alas, it must be so, my friend." The elf coughs, and blood appears at both corners of his mouth. He is weakening by the second. In the corner of his eye, he espies a figure clad all in white. He turns his head to speak to the white wizard.

"Mithrandir…" Legolas now struggles to speak, his breath is short, "tell my… my father and… mother….when you go… tell them…"

"I will, fair prince," Gandalf assures him. "They will know of the valor and the great sacrifice made by their youngest son. Farewell Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil." The wizard then says to Aragon. "I must go now in the faintest of hope that either Frodo or Sam might still live."

The Ranger-King only nods. He cradles his dying companion closely to him. "All shall remember, mellon-nin," he says, tears spilling down his rough cheeks. "It shall never be forgotten that one alone of the entire race of the Eldar stayed to aid his brothers, the Edain. When all the others fled, you stayed. You could have left with what remained of Haldir's army after Helm's Deep, but you stayed. You went against the wishes of your kin and all your people out of love and loyalty to me and all the free peoples of Middle Earth. Your deeds shall be sung of until the end of time."

"Aye, lad," says Gimli, gently patting the elf's head, "you took down a whole Oliphant on your own. I'd say our competition ends in a draw." The dwarf chuckles sadly.

Legolas does smile very weakly at that. "I shall… await… both of you… in the Halls."

Aragorn tries to smile. "Aye, mellon. We shall meet again in the next world."

The elf prince coughs again, for the last time. Blood has filled his lungs. "Namarie." His head then falls back, and his eyes close slowly. He beautiful face is now serene as his spirit flees into the next world.

**End**


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